MUNI goes from bad to worse
San Francisco has two* major public transportation systems: BART and MUNI.
BART is a commuter train that shuttles passengers along elevated tracks and through subway tunnels to and from the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, and several other cities east of San Francisco across the Bay Bridge), the San Francisco financial district, and the two major airports. It is remarkably on-time, fast, and–if your destination is downtown San Francisco–very convenient. These benefits come at a high price, though: some trips are over $7, and most trips across the Bay Bridge (the bulk of the commute) are over $3 each way.
MUNI is an all-pupose fleet of buses and streetcars that provides transit throughout San Francisco itself. A subway runs through the downtown stations; as trains exit the subway they become streetcars bound for various residential neighborhoods. Gas and electric buses run along a grid of routes that covers everything else. The fare is a flat $1.50 to go anywhere on any combination of routes, good for about 2 hours.
I’m generally happy with BART, but I tend to avoid MUNI at all costs. Its buses and trains are crowded and slow, and breakdowns and congestion in the subway cause huge delays. During one of my recent commutes, it was often faster to walk 2 miles home along a major street than to wait for a bus during rush hour.
MUNI apparently never recovered after the ridership decline that accompanied the dotcom crash in 2001. The frequency of buses and trains has been cut; fares have been increased twice in the last five years: first from $1 to $1.25, and then to $1.50. You’d think that after these drastic changes, and with a rebounding economy that the situation would be improving. But as the Chronicle reports today:
San Francisco Municipal Railway officials revealed Tuesday that service continues to slip and that the agency faces a $40 million-plus deficit next year… A year-end service report shows a troubling trend in which buses and streetcars missed their scheduled arrival times more frequently and were more crowded, forcing drivers to pass people up.
If you live in San Francisco you experience these problems with MUNI all the time, but it is sad to read that things are getting measurably worse. For a typical MUNI horror story, check out this Municide rant.
* Two useful transit systems, that is. I didn’t include CalTrain.
Recent music purchases
It’s been a while since my last music update. I’ve made quite a few CD purchases between April and August of this year (29!), albeit with mixed results. Here’s a list of my recent acquisitions, with iTunes links for each. Skip to the end for those that I highly recommend. Happy listening!
Not recommended
- 13 & God: 13 & God
This is a collaboration between Notwist (one of my favorite bands) and Themselves (a group I’ve never heard of). The two or three tracks that sound like other Notwist releases are decent, but the rest of the album is a disaster. - DJ-KICKS: The Exclusives
The critics said good things, but I should have known better than to buy a DJ compilation. My bad. - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone: Etiquette
I really dislike the male vocals, but the arrangements are nice. There is one good track–Scattered Pearls–that is definitely worth a 99¢ download. - Stereolab: Fab Four Suture
I keep buying Stereolab albums hoping for something along the lines of their excellent Dots And Loops release, but I am always disappointed. - Nightmares On Wax: In A Space Outta Sound
- Ellen Allien & Apparat: Orchestra of Bubbles
- Herbert: Scale
- Juana Molina: Son
- Crackhaus: Spells Disaster
Recommended
- ISAN: Plans Drawn In Pencil
ISAN albums are always a safe bet. Consistently good, laid-back and ambient. Great work music. - Nobody: And Everything Else…
- Herbert: Around The House
- Talkdemonic: Beat Romantic
- The White Birch: Come Up For Air
- Loscil: First Narrows
- Hefty 10 Digest
- Mia Doi Todd: La Ninja
- Islands: Return to the Sea
- Midwest Product: World Series Love
Highly recommended!
- Herbert: Bodily Functions
Finally back in print, this is one of Herbert’s earlier releases, and is by far my favorite. A nice mix of jazz piano and house beats with great female vocals. - Asobi Seksu: Citrus
Hooray for catchy, dreamy Japanese rock! I can’t get enough of this. - Kings Of Convenience: Quiet Is The New Loud
Wonderfully mellow vocals and acoustic guitar–almost like Simon & Garfunkel. Be sure to also check out their Versus remix album. - Psapp: The Only Thing I Ever Wanted
Quirky, squishy pop music filled with bleeps, clanks and chirps. Very fun. - Electric President: Electric President
- The Album Leaf: In A Safe Place
- Ms. John Soda: Notes and the Like
- I’m Not A Gun: Our Lives On Wednesdays
- American Analog Set: Set Free
- B. Fleischmann: The Humbucking Coil
Washington state politics
I remember hearing about a close gubernatorial election in Washington a couple years ago but never followed too closely. As it turns out, not only was it the narrowest result in state history, but Governor Gregoire has made impressive progress since then despite her “stolen” electoral victory.
Last week’s print edition of the Economist provides some interesting reading about Washington’s 2004 election and the current political climate:
Mrs Gregoire has even waded into Seattle politics, pressuring the city’s fractious city council and Greg Nickels—Seattle’s big, blunt-talking Democratic mayor, who towers over the small, slim governor—to agree on a plan to replace the 53-year-old elevated motorway along the Seattle waterfront, which looks horrible and is vulnerable to earthquakes. Mr Nickels is holding out for a $3-4 billion tunnel that would take the road underground. Others would prefer a $2 billion replacement above ground. In what one Seattle newspaper columnist described as imposing “adult supervision” on city politicians, Mrs Gregoire has made it clear that if they want state money for a new motorway, they must decide what to build, and by this autumn. In talk-talk Seattle, these are harsh terms indeed.
Recovering from a bitter victory
A shaky start has not prevented Washington’s governor acting tough
(subscription or free day pass required)
Short and informative.
Psst — don’t tell anyone
Sound Money Tips has the inside scoop on the best time to buy airline tickets:
What’s the absolute best time to purchase a ticket directly from the airlines? Turns out it’s Wednesday from midnight to 1a.m. in the time zone of the airline’s “home base.” (For instance, Delta is headquartered in Utah and United currently calls Chicago home.)
via Lifehacker
Giant Robot’s Tree Show 2 ends August 24th
Remind me to stop by the Giant Robot gallery in the Haight before August 24th to check out its Tree Show 2 exhibition. Apartment Therapy has a nice write-up (with images).
MILOSH and DNTEL at the Rickshaw Stop
Tickets are on sale for two of my favorite electronic acts, MILOSH and DNTEL. The show is this Tuesday (August 8) at the Rickshaw Stop near Market and Van Ness. Who’s in?
Oh, and there will be corn dogs.
via Upcoming.org
Izakaya opening in SF
The Chronicle’s Inside Scoop reports:
[Vintage 415 has] signed a lease to take over the Yoshida-Ya space at 2909 Webster St. (at Union), just minutes from Mamacita. With the new restaurant, Mamacita chef Josi, who before that was a sous chef at Slanted Door (One Ferry Building), will revisit pan-Asian food with an izakaya — a Japanese-style beer hall that serves food.
…
They intend to separate the space into a lounge-like spot on the bottom with a sushi bar, snacks and street food with izakaya-style bench seating and tables. The upstairs will have more traditional table service with entrees.
“It will be Asian street food, but not fusion,” says Josi. “We want the dishes to be true to their cultural origins.”
I’m not sure how traditional “Asian street food” will fare in Cow Hollow, but here’s hoping. I’m looking forward to having an izakaya alternative to Hana Zen (fun, but inconsistent) and Tanto (excellent, but in San Jose).
via SFGate
